Will the Real Hedo Turkoglu Please Stand Up?
When I got home last night, I stumbled upon the Nets/Magic game on League Pass, and it was (believe it or not) one of the better games that I’ve watched this season. Even more shockingly, the fourth quarter was, largely, an electric test of wills between two of the NBA’s least talked about players: Darrell Armstrong and Hedo Turkoglu.
Darrell, of course, is the hyper-caffeinated ageless wonder of a point guard; a man who has seemingly played for every team in the L and refuses to go down quietly. After yet another huge shot down the stretch, Nets color man Mark Jackson - an ageless wonder in his own right during his playing days - claimed that Armstrong was sixty-five years old, and I had trouble telling if he was joking or not.
Though he couldn’t bail his team out as time expired, Hedo played like an All-Star, and if you’ve followed the Orlando Magic this season, you know that this is nothing new. Turkoglu is enjoying the best season of his career, and shockingly, he has become the Magic’s go-to-guy at crunch time. He also has a habit of staring down the opposing bench after hitting big shots, which given his goofy and generally unfortunate grill, is quite often a hilarious sight.
Yes, on a team featuring one of the best big men in the League and a newly-acquired small forward making an absurd amount of money, it is Hedo’s number that Stan Van Gundy calls when the going gets tough.
What in the world is going on? I have no idea, but I can’t look away.
27 Responses to “Will the Real Hedo Turkoglu Please Stand Up?”
Jan.3 at 1:08 pm
peteb80 says:
Um, wasn’t “Hedo is not an All-Star” your headline earlier in the season?
Jan.3 at 1:10 pm
Miguel Garcia (México) says:
Nice point of view, Hedo is having a career year, i hope he manages to keep this up. He´s one of the main reasons for the Magic Early succed.
By the way, it´s obvius he was hit in the last play and he got no whistle.
On the previos play the nets got the lead with two vc´s free throws from a suspicious call.
Jan.3 at 1:12 pm
Ill Will says:
Hedo dancing after hitting that huge shot against Miami last Friday was amazingly funny. I just started laughing out loud. The ladies a few tables over looked at me funny.
Jan.3 at 1:16 pm
Hoop Dreamz says:
Hold on Mutoni… y’all got League Pass in OTT????? I’m in T.O. and I watched that joint on Sportsnet or the Score or something, then watched the Dallas/GSW joint on Raptors TV. But if you can get league pass in Canada without hitting up the nice Pakistani gentleman selling satellite at the flea market, lemme know.
Jan.3 at 1:19 pm
mutoni says:
@ peteb80: quiet, you! @ hoop dreamz: holler at rogers cable and ask for the sports package (specify league pass), or just catch it on nba (dot) com broadband.
Jan.3 at 1:55 pm
WeS says:
He dropped one on the Bulls in OT last week. I laughed for some reason too. Maybe it is his mannerisms…
Jan.3 at 2:16 pm
floe says:
nba tv broadband says you need a league pass account number before you can watch games online. pretty redundant if you ask me.
Jan.3 at 2:26 pm
NAS says:
HEDO IS ON FIRE
Jan.3 at 3:22 pm
underdog says:
Darrell Armstrong is hell of a player. He is going to be 40 years old this summer, and still plays with a great hustle. Too bad he is underrated.
Jan.3 at 4:01 pm
DDB says:
You gotta go to Hedo in the crunch. Dwight has no moves and Rashard can’t create his own shot. Until Nelson emerges as a consistent shooter and starts providing them with a driving threat that can finish, drop off to Dwight, or kick to Lewis, Hedo is their best bet.
Jan.3 at 6:23 pm
Sesa says:
Ill Will, you saw it too.
That dancing is even more crazier than Turiaf’s
Jan.3 at 6:31 pm
Ill Will says:
I can’t believe there are so few highlights of Hedo on youtube. Un-frickin-believable. I’m sure we are all looking forward to the next Hedo celebration. Don’t lie.
Jan.3 at 6:59 pm
FLUXLAND says:
Mutoni, I caught the same game. Armstrong was INSANE! Kidd had a playground-like sequence that was equally ridiculous. But, what really went on with the Turk? He gave up that rebound on the Kidd bonanza and what happened on the last play of the game? or two for that matter? Shutdown by Kidd? That ending was disappointing !
Jan.3 at 7:08 pm
Slamyomama says:
eboy my bad about what i said man i wasent thinking straight anyways Hedo is the man in Orlando hes knocking down some important shots for this team and IS playing like an All Star
Jan.4 at 1:13 am
Russ Bengtson says:
Dwight keeps e’rybody honest. Shard too, to a lesser extent. And it’s hard to stop TWO 6-10 three-point shooters. I’ve always liked ol’ Hideous.
Jan.4 at 1:42 am
dma says:
magic got robbed last night.
Jan.4 at 2:54 am
bootlace says:
Hedo is KG with handles, Dirk with clutch, and Antoine Walker with dancing moves.
Jan.4 at 7:04 am
t.dot dude says:
will the real slim shady please stand up, please stand up. i repeat will the real slim shady please stand up, please stand up.
Jan.4 at 8:55 am
Tarzan Cooper says:
who do? HEDO!!
Jan.4 at 9:55 am
QQ says:
Bootlace, Hedo’s good, but let’s not elect him to the HOF yet with those comments. lol. I love him though. (Magic fan here),
Jan.4 at 11:48 am
Mark Z says:
It IS funny seeing him stare down the bench. He should enjoy it while it lasts. I expect someone to hammer him sooner or later. They he’ll go back to his streaky ways…
Jan.4 at 1:21 pm
Harlem_World says:
Hedo should be getting a cut of Lewis’ money.
Jan.5 at 4:54 am
Ben says:
Why all the Hedo love. He’s playing really well but all thanks to Howard and Lewis. They should be the ones getting the love for spreding the floor and allowing Hedo to get his shots off well.
Jan.5 at 7:08 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
I don’t get why people are sleeping on Turkoglu. He might not be the Magic’s best player, but he is their most important one. Almost every offensive set runs through him - he is the team’s real playmaker. Actually, come to think of it, I do get why people are sleeping on him. Knowing and analysing the game on a deeper level than stats is just not something that is done real well around the NBA.
Jan.5 at 7:09 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
I don’t get why people are sleeping on Turkoglu. He might not be the Magic’s best player, but he is their most important one. Almost every offensive set runs through him - he is the team’s real playmaker. Actually, come to think of it, I do get why people are sleeping on him. Knowing and analysing the game on a deeper level than big numbers is just not something that is done real well around the NBA. As some of the comments go to prove.
Jan.5 at 7:10 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
Oops, I seem to have done it again…
Jan.7 at 4:02 am
Kevin says:
goin into the slam posters fantasy pool, i drafted Turkoglu thinkin that he had gotten into good shape over the summer and i felt he’d be a more mature player this year.. but wow, i never expected this.. he’s put better numbers than their pricey new free agent signing and he’s been clutch time and again.. hope this keeps up